Members of the Brain Tumour Research charity media team have defied gravity to help raise funds for research into the disease.

Head of Regional PR Susan Castle-Smith was joined by PR officers Farel Williams and Annie Slinn along with social media executive Elise O’Kelly. They are aiming to raise £2,740 through a number of events. The total represents the amount it costs to fund a day of research at one of the Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.

Susan said: “We are hoping to raise the equivalent of a day’s research and to place a tile on the Wall of Hope at one of our centres which we will dedicate to the many inspirational people who work with us to share their stories in the media in order to raise awareness of this dreadful disease.”

Many of those working for the charity have been personally affected by the disease. Annie, the newest member of the media team, lost her mum Judith Slinn to a brain tumour in May 2016. Judith was 54 when she died, five years after her diagnosis.

Farel added: “It was great to take part in a fundraising event with my colleagues as we hear so many stories of supporters raising money for the Brain Tumour Research charity and we wanted to be part of the action. Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. Despite this, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease, so I was motivated to fundraise for this vital cause.”

Michael Thelwall, Head of Community Fundraising for the Brain Tumour Research charity, said: “For too long, brain tumours have been a neglected cancer and we cannot allow this desperate situation to continue. It’s great that our media team colleagues were able to swap their keyboards and phones for flight suits and have a go. We’re looking forward to seeing what they get up to next although I’m not sure they will be joining our marathon team any time soon!”

To make a donation to the Brain Tumour Research charity via the team’s JustGiving page, go to: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/susan-farel-annie-elise-mkskydive

For further information, please contact:
Annie Slinn at Brain Tumour Research on 01908 867239 or 07591 206545 or annie.slinn@braintumourresearch.org.

Notes to Editors

Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK focused on funding sustainable research to find a cure for brain tumours. We have established a game-changing network of world-class Research Centres of Excellence in the UK. Embracing passionate member charities nationwide, over £6 million was raised towards research and support during 2017.

We are campaigning to see the national spend on research into brain tumours increased to £30 - £35 million a year, in line with breast cancer and leukaemia. The unprecedented success of our 2015 petition led to the 2016 Westminster Hall debate and Brain Tumour Research taking a leading role in the Government’s Task and Finish Working Group convened to tackle the historic underfunding for research with the report being published in 2018.

Key statistics on brain tumours:

• Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer
• They kill more children than leukaemia
• They kill more men under 45 than prostate cancer
• They kill more women under 35 than breast cancer
• Just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease
• In the UK 16,000 people each year are diagnosed with a brain tumour
• Less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers
• Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age
• Incidences of, and deaths from, brain tumours are increasing.

Please quote Brain Tumour Research as the source when using this information. Additional facts and statistics are available from our website including our latest Report on National Research Funding. We can also provide case-studies and research expertise for media.